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WildStarWiki:Manual of Style
This Manual of Style outlines standards for clean, consistent formatting for wiki content on WildStar Wiki. This is a guideline and can be occasionally overridden where circumstances warrant it, and will never be perfect for every situation. Please when possible keep to the advice outlined in this article, so others may use your edits as an example for their own articles or sections. These guidelines are a summary of the most important guidelines for the WildStar Wiki. Additional help help and guidance can be found on Wikipedia at Wikipedia Manual of Style. Article layout One of the most important fundamentals of wiki editing, is in how to structure a wiki article. Structure is a powerful thing as it dictates the order and flow of the page, and can influence what people contribute, where it goes, and how it might be written. Structure has the equal power to confuse people just as bad writing does. A well structured article is more likely to maintain a high quality, long-lived page and source of information. Wiki articles and pages are organize into sections, in a hierarchical structure like an outline. Wherever possible use logical structure. Each section should start with an introduction, similar to the start of the article itself, and then have its own subsections below it if any. Prefer using shallow structures over deep ones with many levels of sub-sections. Too many nested sections can lead to a overly confusing pages. See Section headings for more info on writing section headings. Most importantly, keep your layouts consistent, within a page and across pages. The following manual of style sections will offer some good advice on keeping your articles clean, consistent, and clear. They are generally presented in the order in which they should appear in an article. Top non-article content Non-article content, such as disambiguation and article message boxes, should be located above the lead. If no template, box, or precedent exists for a "non-content" type top message, then a simple indented italicized note may be used, which is preferably a complete sentence but does not necessarily have to be. See also Article message boxes, Disambiguations and Navigation boxes, below. :Were you looking for Oceanic realms, or the Realms list? :Were you looking for Oceanic realms, or the Realms list? Infoboxes Infoboxes are generally boxes that usually appear at the top-right corner of the page, which summarize data relating to the article. These are placed immediately underneath any top non-article content with no extra lines or spaces. As a side-note, the item tooltips that can be seen when hovering over certain kinds of links, are actually constructed directly from these "page infoboxes". Lead section An page should begin with a short introductory lead section, just before the first section heading. The lead should be capable of standing alone as a concise overview of the article, establishing context, and explaining why the subject is interesting or notable. It should be between one or two paragraphs long, and should be written in a clear and accessible style so that the reader is encouraged to read the rest of the article. The lead should not have its own explicit Section or any section header. Lead page title If possible the title of the page should lead the first sentence of the article. The exact page title should put in bold using three apostrophes, like article title the first time the article mentions the title. King Banana III was King of Fruits during and after the Second War, and can now be found in Galeras, in the region of Alizar. :King Banana III was King of Cereal Bowls during and after the Second War, and can now be found in Galeras in the region of Alizar. Lead bolding Avoid other uses of bold in the first sentence, except when denoting alternative titles without links. Follow the normal rules for italics in denoting books or other important works. Do not make or put links in the emboldened page title in the article's lead sentence, or make bold links normally in general text. King Banana II, or King Banana, was King of Fruits during and after the Second War, and is an often referenced character in the Guide to Banana Wars trilogy. King Banana can now be found in Galeras, in the region of Alizar. :King Banana II or King Banana was King of Fruits during and after the Second War, and is an often referenced character in the Guide to Banana Wars trilogy. King Banana can now be found in Galeras, in the region of Alizar. Lead italics In the lead sentence of a page, putting part or all of the bold title in italics will mainly apply only the titles of books and games whether fictitious or real. The example below shows the whole name in italics with the page name in bold. :The '''Guide to Banana Wars' trilogy consists of ''Bananas of Wrath, War of the Bananas, and The Banana King books. :The '''Guide to Banana Wars' trilogy consists of ''Bananas of Wrath, War of the Bananas, and The Banana King books. Table of contents A table of contents (TOC) will automatically appear default as left-aligned above the first explicit section heading, in articles with three or more user sections. This default behavior is considered standard style, and usually should be followed as such. However, the TOC can be altered using page options in wiki text, sometimes referred to as magic words. * __TOC__ to force the TOC to a certain position * to completely remove the TOC from a page * to force the TOC to float right, and/or to a certain position. See . A right-aligned TOC should only be used if it is very long, like over 15 entries, and an information box is not on the right side already. If you are having trouble positioning images, TOC or infoboxes, or find that you are having to change TOC behavior across multiple pages, feel free to contact any moderator or admin for help. Article main content This is where the main article content for the page would go, which should begin with a section heading, and is the part that covers regular page material. The content continues with main article text, content, and additional main article sections, and so on. For information on writing the actual article content itself, see the Writing section below. Sections The article main content contains its own sections. Section headers should be un-decorated with no extra italics, bold, html markup, etc., and should use spaces between the section title and the markup. Empty sections without wiki-text comment or markers, should not be left on finished pages; they can always be added later. Section names should generally be cased like regular sentences, where only the first word is capitalized, unless is a proper name. Sections in wiki markup should have an empty line before them, and no empty lines before the section content text or markup. After the article main content sections, other standard page sections sometimes called footer sections, can be placed to hold standard types of ancillary data. These should be always be placed after the regular article body, farther down the page. Lead introductory text. Section name Regular section name. King of Cereal Bowls Proper name section name. Boiler-plate Below is a basic standard skeleton for making a page, show in in wiki text, and illustrates some of the parts that surround the main article content (some not yet discussed). Many types of articles, such as , have standard predefined skeletons, or similar boiler-plate for placing around main article content. First main content header See also * Banana II External links * bananatimes.com Media - images, videos, other Media is the first standard footer section, and is for general images, videos, or others (such as audio, if there is any), that relate in some way to the article subject. If there is no general media, this section can be omitted. See Media below for more detail. Each media type should go in a separate sub-section under a media section. For the most part media for a wiki page can be grouped together above all of the other standard sections, like the 'see also' section, or the final 'navigation boxes', or 'references'. For Media section, the sub-sections are jammed together with no empty lines, which is an exception and the only case where this is standard. The media section for a page should normally be organized such that: # At least two videos or images can be placed side by side at minimum width, and ... # The tag is used to help encourage others to add media to the page. :Note: other media placed in article main content 'sub-sections', page info-boxes, etc..., should still be added in whatever way makes sense for that context, which do not necessarily need or use galleries. Media section with images and only 2 videos. Media Images Images.png Videos Banana Lore lesson - Banana II|Banana II lore lesson Fall of Banana|Banana I lore lesson Appearances Appearances is a standard footer section, and is used on character or NPC articles to list which media (books, games, etc.) that character has appeared in. Generally unless there is a need for disambiguation, this section is not added. Appearances In WildStar Found among the trees and sandy shores of Galeras. In WildStar: Even Wilder Still found among the trees and sandy shores of Galeras, but more appealing. In The Card Game Found as the third most top banana often waging war with I and II. Is found also on page 8 of the TCG handbook. Notes The Notes footer section is used to list and consolidate general notes and statements made to the article's topic. Each separate item must be in list format using the '*' wiki markup. Please feel free to use noted section for brief statement about anything related that you think would be useful to other readers. Notes * When using as target for /peel emote, tend to run away. * Need to be within 8 yards to blah blah. Patch changes The Patch changes footer section is used to list and consolidate notes and statements about any patch and hotfix made to the article's topic. On pages that have very few notes or patch changes, these changes can be consolidated into and share the more general Notes footer section. Each separate item must be in list format using the * (asterisk) wiki markup, with a space between the * and the list text. Regardless, entries should use the template to note the exact if known, and should briefly quote patch notes or Carbine forum posts about hotfixes whenever possible. For when no note is available or for undocumented changes discovered by players, then a brief description of the change should still be made. References are not needed if the change is an official patch note, a Carbine post (though the post should be linked), or if the change is documented elsewhere on WildStar Wiki. Patch changes * - Bananas were augmented to be more appealing. References The References footer section is used to display a list of references cited on the page, and uses the to display the list automatically. This section is not necessary if there are no references or page is not expected to have any. However if there are references including this section is required. The extension may also be used is special circumstances, but is not standard. See for adding references to a page. See also WildStarWiki:Citation policy. References See also The See also footer section, is one of the final standard sections, and is used to list links to related topics on WildStar Wiki, as would relate to the article's topic and are generally ones that do not already already have link within the article body proper. However use best judgement and major related topics could still be added here if useful. Each separate item must be in list format using the * (asterisk) wiki markup. Add a brief text note with a dash after the link with something useful about the link or pages relationship to it. If there are no See also links, then this section can be omitted. See also * Banana II - an avenger of Banana I. External links In the External links footer section, the last regular footer section, lists any external regular web links relating to the article. If there are no External links, this section can be omitted. Each separate item must also be in list format using the * (asterisk) wiki markup, text about the link should follow, after a dash with spaces. External links section is similar purpose to the See also footer section, except that: 1) links are to outside sources, 2) must list all external links except those already handled by the References footer section, 3) has special external link formatting. External links format uses regular web link brackets [ ], and uses the target site's base domain name as the link text as to declare the destination upfront. See external links policy. External links * banatimes.com - Bana reviews Bananas of Wrath Navboxes - navigational tables Navboxes are special boxes or tables of related links that may be standard across many pages. Like article Infoboxes, proper Navboxes do not normally have thier own a section header. Navboxes should have at least two line-breaks between them and the end of the last section, and then the boxes should be ordered by most closely related concepts first. Feel free to add existing Navboxes to correct pages that are missing them, or to suggest new ones. Navboxes often come in the form of wiki templates, which can easily be used across multiple pages and changed from just one place. These Nav templates are generally named with "nav" at the end - similar to Template:Banananav, used like , or may also be categorically named like Template:Bana nanas or . Nav templates should contain any instructions or rules for use at the top, as can be seen in the Nav template. External links * btimes.com - Bana on Bananas of Wrath Interwiki links The very special Interwiki links footer section is one of the two last standard sections, is usually for links to other language pages, and should be added at the very end of the article wiki text. Like Navboxes and Infoboxes, they do not normally have their own a section header. If there are no very special Interwiki links already, this section can be ignored. These special links should have at least two extra line-breaks between them and the end of the last section, or one extra line-break if after a Navbox section, and then should be placed one under the other with no wiki list markup or otherwise. See also s, which inthe general case can also be used in elsewhere in wiki text. This footer section is different than the See also or the External links sections, and consist only of very special links, like links to other language versions of the current page. Other language links use special namespaces and look like fr:Banana II, which would link to a French WildStar wiki site's version of this site's Banana II page. These bottom footer Interwiki links also work specially with the Wiki itself, similarly to how categories work, and will automatically show at the bottom of the page in a special looking list that the user can click on. However unlike categories, when an article page is opened again for editing the bottom Interwiki links will still appear in the actual wiki text just as you left them. So here good formatting is important for future travelers. External links * btimes.com - Bana on Bananas of Wrath fr:Banana II zh:??II Categories Adding categories to a page, adds that page to a category list. Category can be added directly to wiki text using markers, and these marker should always be placed in this footer section. Category footer section should have at least two extra line-breaks between it and the end of the last section, or one extra line-break if after a Navbox or Interwiki link, and then should be placed one after the other on one line, with no extra wiki list markup or otherwise. See s. See Category policy for category naming. See for full list of existing categories. These category markers take the form of Category:Bananas which marks a page for a category, whereas a wiki link to the Bananas category page with the list would be Category:Bananas, with an extra : (colon) in front. These are very easy to confuse. Unlike links in the Interwiki links footer section, these category "markers" will always seem to disappear from the page text when opened again for editing. It is important follow the specific rules above, so that changes between revisions can be followed easily and when comparing page history. Placement is important here for future travelers as well. Note that categories can later be removed (or edited) using the right tool bar when editing a page, and can be also be added simply at the bottom of any regular page. External links * btimes.com - Bana on Bananas of Wrath fr:Banana II zh:??II Category:BananasCategory:Banana kings Writing : "I believe the road to hell is paved with bananas..." :- Banana King We now come to the meat of an article, the words themselves. When you're editing wikis, you're both academic and artist. You have to be accurate, but you also have to be interesting. Neither one can dominate, and you have to skillfully balance both. General * Keep your writing concise. Don't use two words where one will do, or use fewer words. Keeping it simple will make it easier to understand for wider variety of audiences, and easier to expand upon later. Use complete sentences in regular text. * Check your spelling and grammar. Write the way you would for a class paper or a newspaper article. Use correct grammar and spelling for whatever context you are in. * Don't use "texting type". Don't use 'u' or '2' in place of 'you' or 'to'. * Keep all of the topics you cover within the scope of the article. For example, a detailed history of the Banana elves on the page about Banana II is unnecessary, and should probably should go on its own page. Whereas similar text more centered on the relationship between them would be OK. Consider the article's title as your point of origin and write from that perspective, and make liberal use of the wiki's inherent ability to link more detailed articles or external sources for more information. * Write from an impersonal perspective. Don't write with the word "I". For example don't write, "Banana II was a ..., as far as I know." In general avoid drawing attention to the wiki article author, yourself, as much as possible. See also WildStarWiki:Neutrality policy. * Be bold in updating pages. If you know something is wrong or think something could be worded better, or if an article has a glaring deficiency, fix it. Even if your first attempt isn't golden, the fix it as best can. Later you, or someone else, can come along and fix it better. If you look at a set of changes and as a whole and can say, "Yes, this is progression.", then you are golden. Don't be afraid to make mistakes trying. Grammar It's hard to build good sentences without at least a few basic rules. Since a wiki article must be reasonably clear across many wide audience and multiple levels of understanding on a topic, and across numerous edits involving possibly many authors, editors must continually strive for clean grammar for clear communication. Remember that context is important, and good grammar depends on the words around it. If ever unsure, always feel free to leave a message with an admin or moderator, to or join Wiki Chat for quick help or discussion. WildStar Wiki is a friendly environment with active resources for help. It is far better, and much less work in the long run, to correct issues early on. Capitalization * Proper titles - Proper titles on names, or Sir names, such as lord, king, or arch-nana, must start with a capital letter when used as a part of a proper name, like "King Banana" and not "king Banana". When used generally and not as a part of a proper name, should be in regular lower case or cased normally, like "Banana II is a powerful king." For actual proper Titles, such as of an office, or honorary, are also treated as proper nouns, like "King Banana II is the current King of Fruits." See WildStarWiki:Capitalization policy. * Nicknames - Colloquial nicknames, like ones not actually found in WildStar or other game materials, should be avoided, like saying "Nana-B", "B'nan", or "B II", instead of "Banana II". These can sometimes in violation of NPOV or WildStarWiki:Neutrality policy. It may however be OK to make a note in the Notes footer section well-known, pervasive, commonly used names in the community, which is also outside of the article body proper. * Classes - Game classes, like esper or warrior, should only be capitalized when used as a proper noun, or as a part of someone's name, like "Go fight, Warrior." versus "That warrior is fighting." * Races - Game races such as draken or exile human, should also not be capitalized except when used as a proper noun, or as a part of someone's name, like "Lemon, go be evil." versus "That lemon is quite evil." * Factions - Factions, such as Dominion or Exiles, should always be capitalized.